Tesla, MINI join list of NAIAS no-shows

It was confirmed Thursday that Tesla and MINI will sit out the Detroit Auto Show. This means four brands representing three manufacturers will be now-shows, as Jaguar Land Rover previously announced it would not bring either of its brands to Detroit in January.

NAIAS representative Max Muncey broke confirmed these disappointing developments to Automotive News.

MINI’s acknowledgement is not a great surprise, as a rumor circulated last week that the company would play hooky from the largest show in the U.S. circuit.
Tesla’s absence, while perhaps not necessarily expected, is not particularly shocking.

There’s some good news, though. According to the NAIAS representative who confirmed the absences, Aston Martin will return to Detroit for the first time since 2009.

“They jumped at the opportunity, so we’re pumped at the opportunity to bring them in,” Muncey said.

MINI, Tesla and Jaguar Land Rover may simply be small players in a larger movement away from concentrated industry events. Last year, Sweden’s Volvo announced plans to limit its presence to one major auto show per region, meaning it’s skipping the New York, the Los Angeles, and the Chicago shows.

Instead, Volvo will continue to introduce cars at private events usually held at its headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, and it puts prospective buyers behind the wheel by organizing regular product clinics all around the globe.